Sub menu

Community Leaders to address Anaheim Advisory Committee on need for Council Districts

Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD) released the following press statement regarding tonight’s meeting of the Anaheim Citizens Advisory Committee on Elections:

Anaheim, CA – On April 18th 2013, a diverse group of Anaheim resident leaders are taking responsibility of their neighborhoods by pressing the Citizens Advisory Committee to commit to eight electoral districts. This Thursday, the Citizens Advisory Committee, which was formed last fall by the Anaheim City Council to study the City’s electoral system, will decide upon several key recommendations to the council, including how many council seats are necessary for a city the size of Anaheim and whether or not to adopt council districts. Anaheim residents and OCCORD leaders will be present to remind the Committee to fix Anaheim’s broken system by raising the issue of electoral seats.

Anaheim, Orange County’s largest city continues to be the largest city in California to elect representatives at large, while all other larger California cities use district elections. Anaheim’s ratio of residents per representative is high for a city of its size – the population per representative is 67,253.

“There needs to be more participation in the policy making process for this city. The only way we can do this is by having a representative elected by ‘us’ and he or she will be accountable to us,” added resident leader, Arturo Fererras, “ I would like to see districts and see real democracy in action.”

Resident leaders, youth and adults, feel that their voices are not being heard and that their needs are not being addressed in city hall. For far too long, residents have been saying that their neighborhoods and their issues are postponed or ignored. They are demanding an electoral system, where their votes will matter in city council elections and a city council that is accountable to their neighborhoods and the city of Anaheim.

“People are interested in the betterment of their communities, but there is frustration,” added youth organizer, Marisol Ramirez, “the process of district elections would help to hold the person accountable to all their neighbors who need help.”